Roleplaying Tips Weekly E-Zine
Issue #157
6 Tips On How To Bring Disparate Characters Together
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SENT BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY With Compliments
From: Johnn Four, http://www.roleplayingtips.com
johnn@roleplayingtips.com
CONTENTS:
--> A Brief Word From Johnn
--> This Week's Tips Summarized:
1. Because They Were Ordered To
2. Because They Are Friends
3. Because They Are Involved For Different Reasons
4. Because They Are Involved For The Same Reason
5. Because They Have Been Thrown Together By Fate
6. Common Problems With Running Disparate Groups
--> Readers' Tips Of The Week:
1. Encouraging Role-playing vs. Roll-playing
From: Jinx
2. 5 Room Model Good For Castles Too
From: Alan C.
3. Dungeon Time Limits
From: Knud G.
4. An Easy Solution For Player Stalling
From: Calinda Lucas
5. 10 Category World Design Checklist
From: John C. Feltz
6. Dungeon Tip: Add Something Players Would Never
Expect
From: Christian T.
--> Tips Request: Campaign Newsletter Links
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A BRIEF WORD FROM JOHNN
Supplemental #13 Posted: GM Aid Review
--------------------------------------
David "Da Pit Fiend" M has kindly sent in a thorough review
of his experience with running an online game session using
the GRiP software. I've placed his review in Supplemental
Issue #13. You can get Sup. #13 by sending a blank email to:
gmaides@roleplayingtips.com
mailto:gmaides@roleplayingtips.com
Thanks Pit Fiend! Thorough reviews, like Mr. Fiend's, of
other GM aides and tools are welcome (and requested :).
.tgz File Of Archives For Unix Users Posted
-------------------------------------------
If you are a Unix user and you had problems unpacking the
zipped Tips Archive files, try the .tgz file sent to me by
Wolf B. Thanks Wolf!
The Archives can be downloaded from this page:
http://www.roleplayingtips.com/cd/
Cheers,
Johnn Four
johnn@roleplayingtips.com
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5 TIPS ON HOW TO BRING DISPARATE CHARACTERS TOGETHER
By Jonathan Hicks
Games and campaigns revolve around a core group of player
characters all working together to either complete their own
agendas or a larger quest. Usually, when the players are
creating their group, they share out careers, abilities, and
skills to make a balanced bunch of PCs who can handle almost
every eventuality thrown at them by the GM. However, this
may not always be the case.
While players can work as a team and design their characters
that way, they have almost total control over the creation
of their PCs as far as personality, trade, and background is
concerned. In some cases, GMs may ask the players to create
whatever they like and then bring the PCs together in the
first game. This gives the players free rein as to how they
want their PCs to be, but can create a problem as to how
these PCs come together.
So, let's say the players have designed a group of PCs who
comprise of a baker-turned-mercenary, a nurse, a noble from
a high-born family, and a horse thief. What do these PCs
have in common? At first, nothing. So, how on earth do you
bring them all together?
1. Because They Were Ordered To
===============================
There's nothing more decisive than the Queen/Emperor/Ruling
Faction pointing a long bony finger at the PCs and saying,
for example, 'I command you to walk to the Ring of Fire and
defeat this evil!' Already the PCs have been given a good
reason as to why they should adventure together - they've
been given their orders!
Of course, you have to ask the question, in some respects,
as to why a certain PC should agree to such a thing. Let's
take the example group:
* The mercenary might go because that's his job.
* The nurse might go because the group might need aid on a
perilous journey.
* The noble might go because, as a relation to the ruling
body, it might be a requirement, a proving of the ability to
defend the family/realm.
* The horse thief might have to go to pay for a crime. 'You
will prove your loyalty or you will hang, horse thief!'
The group has been given their orders by their ruler and
will do all they can to win through, even though they are a
mismatched group of PCs from very different backgrounds. It
makes for excellent role-playing. It's also an excellent way
to bring the PCs together and keep them together.
2. Because They Are Friends
===========================
Even though PCs may come from different backgrounds, it is
still possible they might be friends. Although there might
be a class system in effect in your game world, it is still
possible that certain people might go against the grain and
mix with whomever they wish and not with their social class
or kind.
The noble in our example group might be a man who likes to
'slum it', a PC of great esteem who dresses down and walks
the lower streets of the city, mixing with what he would
usually see as undesirables. In this group he finds new
friends: a mercenary, a nurse from the local physician's
guild, and (unknown to him) a horse thief.
Alternatively, the mercenary could have gotten a job as a
guard at the noble's castle, the nurse could work as a
surgeon there, and the horse thief could 'work' in the
stables. As the three mix on a daily basis they get to know
each other.
So, when disaster does strike or one or more of the PCs are
drawn into a quest, the others are motivated or bound by
loyalty to help. Something might happen to them all when the
whole group is together and this gives them impetus, as a
group, to set out on their quest.
Let's say the PCs are all together in the Great Hall when an
attempt is made on the life of the Queen. They might become
the only witnesses who saw the assassin so they are sent as
a group to track down the enemy.
3. Because They Are Involved For Different Reasons
======================================
The PCs might come together because they are all after the
same thing but for a different reason. They may be searching
for a murderer, an enemy who has affected their lives in
some way, or an item that has the ability to solve their
particular problem. Each PC has their own agenda and reason
as to why they are on the quest and they come together to
benefit each other.
This might be tricky. Of course, if they are all after the
same thing, then when they do finally achieve it they will
all have their own claim to it, especially if it involves an
NPC. Unlike an object, which may be shared between the PCs,
they will all want their own revenge or justice against the
enemy - and there is only one of them to go around. This
could make for a fantastically charged role-playing
opportunity at the end of a long campaign, but it may be
best to split enemies up and have them all part of a greater
threat so that each PC has their own closure at the end of
the game.
So, for example, the mercenary may be after a man who killed
his father, the nurse might be after the same man because he
stole her family heirloom, a Pendant of Healing, the noble
might be after him to stop him from threatening his borders,
the horse thief might be after him because he has been hired
to. Each PC has a different reason to go on the quest but,
ultimately, they are after the same thing.
4. Because They Are Involved For The Same Reason
======================================
A
simpler way to get the PCs together is to have them all go
on a quest for exactly the same reason. They can then work
together and share any rewards reaped at the end.
This can be anything from 'stop the bad guy' to 'find the
treasure'. They all believe in the same thing and that
shared belief brings them together. It could be a loyalty to
a religion or figure of importance, or they know that there
is a lot of gold to be made and it serves them all to work
together and split the booty. A shared goal, especially when
each player is aware that there is more chance of success in
greater numbers, is a fine reason for them all to come
together.
For example, the PCs hear in a tavern that there is gold in
them thar hills and they all share a common need for more
gold. The mercenary is up for a quest because he knows his
sword may be needed and wishes to make sure his skills are
justifiably rewarded. The nurse might want money for her
hospice and joins the quest to help finance it. The noble
might join to increase the wealth of his family's and his
personal coffers, and the horse thief might join because,
hey - it's money, and it sure beats stealing horses.
5. Because They Have Been Thrown Together By Fate
=====================================
Wouldn't you believe it? The PCs are all in the same place
when bang! something terrible occurs and they are all forced
to work together to solve the problem. Don't you just hate
it when that happens?
Starting a game this way gives the PCs something to focus on
straight away and also provides an excellent reason as to
why they are required to work together.
Each player has their own reasons and agenda, that much is
sure, but when events transpire against them and they must
rely on those around them then they will still have their
illusion of free will but know they have to team up to
survive or overcome the immediate problem. Once that problem
is solved or avoided, then the PCs with their knowledge of
the threat or problem can continue to work together.
For example, they could be arrested together as scapegoats
on a drummed-up charge, or be in the same village when it is
attacked, or be in the same castle when it is besieged.
Or, let's say the PCs are all journeying across an ocean on
a huge passenger ship when suddenly they're attacked by the
forward ships of an invasion fleet. The PCs, close together
in a confined area, had to fight side-by-side to defeat the
threat. The mercenary will fight because that is what he does.
The nurse will fight to defend the wounded. The noble will
fight because it might be his ship the raiders are
attacking, and the horse thief might fight because where
there are bodies, there's looting. Saving each other's lives
or aiding in battle will introduce the PCs to one another
and strengthen their new relationship.
6. Common Problems With Running Disparate Groups
=====================================
Although complete player control over the creation of a PC
might be great for the dynamics of the character, it may
present some problems the GM may have to overcome.
1) The Player Runs The PC By The Letter
---------------------------------------
As the game progresses, a player might decide to run their
new PC as designed. Therefore, when certain things happen,
the PC might not get involved because 'it is not in their
nature to do so'.
Playing so closely to the letter can slow a game and create
a huge problem for the GM. To combat this, ask the player
two questions:
a) What can you do as a GM to get the player involved a
little more?
b) What they are playing the game for?
It is a game of fun and adventure, after all, unless the
group has something else in mind. If the player is going to
refuse every road, avoid every danger, and otherwise do the
opposite of what is required to complete the quest, then
there's not much point in that PC being present.
2) The Group Does Not Get Along In Part Or As A Whole
-----------------------------------------------------
Bringing such different PCs together may present the players
with some great role-playing opportunities. However, certain
PCs from certain backgrounds might not get along for one
reason or another. This may be fun but may also slow the
game as PCs bicker and argue.
To combat this, throw in a scene where two or more of the
arguing PCs rely on each other to complete a task or save
each other's lives. This will change the attitude somewhat
and make for a great story.
3) Fresh Ideas
--------------
As campaigns come and go and new PCs are created the reasons
as to why disparate PCs should come together might grow
thin. Be careful not to repeat yourself or go over old
ground. On the flip side, it may not be important to the
plot - the players might just say 'yes, we're all different,
but we're mates so let's get on with the game', which would
be nice!
4) Complicated Plots
--------------------
Don't try to be too clever when designing the plot threads
as to how the PCs are part of the bigger picture.
Complicated reasons will slow the game as each PC will want
time spent on their own dilemma independent of the group.
This depends on the size of the group, of course, but it's
best to try and keep it as simple as you can when first
trying out this method of PC introduction.
5) Introducing PCs
------------------
The problem with concentrating on new PCs, especially when
they are so different as to warrant special attention, is
that time will have to be spent building up their role. This
can be done in two ways:
a) Run a single game for each player independently to come
to grips with the PC's role and position. This takes up a
lot of time and might be difficult to make sure every player
ends in a position where they will serve the plot or even
meet up with the rest of the group. This is the trickiest of
the two and contains the most work for the GM.
b) Spend a game or two actually introducing their characters
and getting them entwined with the others before the big
picture actually starts. This is easier and establishes a
sense of group dynamic before the game starts proper.
* * *
At the end of the day, the players are all at the table for
the same reason: to take part in an adventure and have a
good time. Considering the social aspect of the role-playing
hobby, they'll probably want to just get involved and game
together. However, adding reasons as to why the PCs have
come together can help enhance the atmosphere and can also
give you a backup in case the PCs don't mesh as well as
you'd like.
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SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION
Although no one has emailed me any complaints, I felt the
need to move the self-promotion stuff that I occasionally
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This way, if you could care less about the eBooks I'm
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I'll try to keep this section as short as possible and, as
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NPC ESSENTIALS EBOOK
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READERS' TIPS OF THE WEEK
1. Encouraging Role-playing vs. Roll-playing
From: Jinx via The GM Master List
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gmmastery/
=====================================
From: Jinx:
As much as I hate to do it (I prefer to operate subtley
within the game), sometimes you just have to come out and
say "Okay, you guys don't seem to realize it, but if you do
X and Y, you're probably going to get killed, and your
characters would have figured that out by now."
That approach can seem kind of harsh, but it does make them
think a little bit more about "What would my *character*
do?" I think that simply suggesting to them that they try
other means to win (and sometimes avoid) their battles will
go a long way. Just as in real life, there are some fights
you fight, and some you run away from.
I hope that helps.
[Comment from Johnn: great advice Jinx. GMs, you might
consider rating each player on a Subtle Scale of 1 to 10. 1
= the smallest hint will be picked up on, 10 = you have to
take them outside the room and explain it in black & white.
Use this scale as a tool to help properly guide your
players. For example, you'll know to steer your subtle
players through omens, dreams, sense of foreboding,
flashbacks, etc. But if you try to steer subtle players with
an OOC chat, you'll probably offend them.
Conversely, hit your non-subtle players over the head with
plain advice and leave the subtle stuff to players who'll
appreciate it.]
2. 5 Room Model Good For Castles Too
From: Alan C.
====================================
re: http://www.roleplayingtips.com/issue156.html#1
Everything you wrote about the five room dungeon is
something I've felt about gaming for some time. I never
understood the giant dungeon where it all came down to the
thief in the party rolling an endless succession of dice for
traps, moving silently, listening, etc., while the rest of
the party trudged behind waiting to whack whatever shows up.
I've used a similar model [to the 5 room model] in my own
gaming although I use it for almost everything where a
limited space would work better than a huge open one, such
as castles, cities, etc.
Why have a party running around a huge castle in countless
rooms? Let's say they're chasing a thief. He slips into a
secret passage that connects to five or six rooms. Or, for a
good roleplay opportunity, let's say the King has been
assassinated. Most of the castle has been locked off and
secured so the killer is among the guests/nobles/
servants/guards within these five or six rooms. I think it
was the Prince in the library with the candlestick.
3. Dungeon Time Limits
From: Knud G.
======================
re: http://www.roleplayingtips.com/issue156.html#3
I'm going to launch an adventure upon my players where they
will have one character slain by a vampire. In order to have
any chance of reviving the PC back to life, they will have
to do so before next nightfall because once she has risen as
a vampire, she will be lost forever.
[Comment from Johnn: good tip Knud. GMs, go through your
equipment, alien, spell, magic, hi-tech, and monster
resources and look for any effect which has a decent time
limit, and use this to base your adventure conflict around.
Not only will this effect create a great, tension-increasing
time limit for your games, but it will negate the need for a
McGuffin and tighten your story up a notch.]
4. An Easy Solution For Player Stalling
From: Calinda Lucas
=====================================
PROBLEM: My player thinks too long about what to do on his
initiative. Slows everyone else down. He'll sit for minutes
just considering what is the best, most advantageous, and
most risk-free strategy, when in reality a round (3rd
edition D&D) is only 6 seconds. (10 rounds/minute.) This
slows down the dynamics of combat and is unrealistic.
It is usually the most munchkin or rules-lawyer player in
the group that does this, but it can also be just someone
who is insecure and hesitant. You really need to fix both
of those problems with some motivation to act more
decisively.
SOLUTION: While you can't expect your players to say what
they are doing in a mere six seconds, you can expect them to
be timely about it and think of their moves while everyone
else's initiative is going on. Even if the person just in
front of them on initiative does something that changes
their move option completely (for instance, kills an enemy
they were planning to attack), they shouldn't take so much
time that it bogs down combat and removes the tension and
action of the game.
In my opinion, 60 seconds (10 times the round length) is
adequate time to formulate a plan and get the attack rolls
going or the spell damage rolled. With that in mind, egg
timers are an inexpensive investment.
Buy two 60-second egg-timers. The kind with sand cost about
$2-$3 each. They are available at most game stores because
people use them for chess and other games, as well as RPGs.
When you call a person's initiative, you flip a timer down
next to them. They have until the sand runs out to declare
their action, move their piece, and make their first roll.
(Or, if it doesn't require a roll, detail their action for
the round and move.)
Usually, people can finish their action in the 1 minute, but
if they are high-level, they may have more than a few
attacks or have many dice to roll and add for spell damage,
so realistically, you only need to make sure they have
declared their action and have started resolving it before
their minute is up.
If a person does not declare their action and start
resolving it at the end of the minute, you tell them they
stalled too long and their character hesitated in indecision
and you move on to the next person's initiative. After this
happens a time or two, even the most hesitant player will
pick up the pace.
Usually, after you use the egg timers for a few games,
people get in the rhythm of thinking their moves out in
advance and you can dispense with the timers unless the
problem persists. It's usually not a "permanent" necessity.
The reason you need two egg timers is that while one person
is taking their initiative with one egg timer, the other can
be "resetting" from having been used. If you only buy one,
you have to wait for all the sand to run down before
starting a new initiative, which causes a delay in and of
itself. More problem than solution there.
$4-$6 for a couple of timers is really inexpensive to add
the urgency and tension of combat back into a game that is
getting bogged down. Hope that helps someone!
5. 10 Category World Design Checklist
From: John C. Feltz
====================================
Some of this is fantasy-RPG-specific, but most should be
applicable to any type of game.
1) Geography and climate: gravity, atmosphere, land masses,
vegetation, bodies of water, weather patterns
2) Demographics: distribution of various races (or species),
commonality, traits and features, natural racial enmities,
racial roles in society, languages, typical background of
adventurers.
3) Religion and mythology: creation myths, pantheons and
gods, church organizations and hierarchies, prevalence of
belief, temples, shrines, and other structures, holy days,
religious rites and rituals, impact of religious
organizations on government and everyday life, do clerics go
adventuring?
4) Economics: general level of economic and technological
development, employment patterns of the masses (individual
farming vs. serfdom vs. manufacturing, etc.), what do people
eat, level of education & literacy, currencies, inflation,
scarce commodities, surplus wealth, cultural symbols of
wealth.
5) Government: government systems, NPC stats for key
government figures, current and historical relations between
various nations, role of the government in everyday life,
unusual laws and practices, particular laws that affect
adventurers.
6) Society and culture: what do people do for fun, sports
and games, expressions and oaths, family structure,
etiquette, ethics and morals (alignment), music and arts,
architectural styles, fashion and styles of dress, pets.
7) Magic and technology: general availability and familiarity
to the masses, interplay between the two, availability of
high-power magic and technology to adventurers.
8) Non-governmental organizations (NGOs): mage academies,
thieves' guilds, secret societies, professional and
scientific societies, fraternal organizations (Freemasons,
Elks, Rotary, college fraternities), private clubs,
universities, corporations, charities.
9) History and myth: ancient general history, regional
history, specific local history, news, and rumors.
10) Adventurer-specific: role of adventurers in society,
typical adventure opportunities/sites.
6. Dungeon Tip: Add Something Players Would Never Expect
From: Christian T.
=====================================
A good way to keep dungeons interesting is to put something
there the players would never, ever expect.
* An unholy temple? Try a font of holiness locked away in a
secret room that is holding a devil from breaking through.
* A prison? What if one of the prisoners is a polymorphed
dragon, but is currently stripped of its magical abilities?
* An ancient library? What if the library was the key to a
volcanic eruption that occurs when a certain person (PC)
reads a book?
* A dungeon with magical beasts? How about an antimagic
field covering the whole dungeon, so the monsters are
magically powerless, CRs reduced accordingly. (But do the
PCs know that?)
* A beautiful, helpless maiden is not a sacrifice to a dark
god but the high priestess.
The possibilities are many...
[Johnn: Can any readers think of any similar dungeon twists?
It might be cool to build a list and post it in a future
issue.]
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TIPS REQUEST: Campaign Newsletter Links
Do you have a campaign newsletter posted on-line? I
regularly receive requests for more examples of campaign
newsletters--the topic of Issue #7.
[ http://www.roleplayingtips.com/issue7.html ]
Please send me the URL of your online newsletter and I'll
post it in an upcoming Supplemental Issue to help out the
GMs who are trying to build a newsletter but need some
examples for inspiration.
Send your link to:
johnn@roleplayingtips.com
mailto:johnn@roleplayingtips.com
Thanks! :)
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That's it for this week's issue.
Have more fun at every game!
Johnn Four
mailto:johnn@roleplayingtips.com
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Roleplaying Tips Weekly E-Zine Issue #158
Irony Is A Great GM Tool - 9 Tips
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CONTENTS:
--> A Brief Word From Johnn
--> This Week's Tips Summarized:
1. GM-Player Irony
2. Player-Character Irony
3. Player-GM Irony
4. Rules Irony
5. Hypocritical Irony
6. Dice Irony
7. Dramatic Irony Vs. Comedic Irony
8. Irony From Contrast
9. Create Irony By Finding Patterns
--> Readers' Tips Of The Week:
1. NPC Trick - Use Work For Personality Stereotypes
2. Use Index Cards To Speed Up Combat
3. Increasing Player Fun - Quotes Tip
4. Anime Great For Character Names
5. ITL - It's Too Late
6. Dungeon Time Limit Ideas
--> Tips Request: Campaign Newsletter Links
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A BRIEF WORD FROM JOHNN
Gosford Park Movie Good Inspiration For Servant NPCs
----------------------------------------------------
I recently saw the movie Gosford Park, a murder mystery. I
thoroughly enjoyed the movie (some might find it too slow,
and there's nary an explosion or car crash in it) because it
revealed the secret world of servants working in a small
country manor.
If you decide to watch the movie, pay particular attention
to the social hierarchy of the servants--it's as intriguing
as the hierarchy of the upper class people they serve. Great
RPG material!
New Submission Guidelines Posted
--------------------------------
Thinking of writing an article for the ezine? Then fame and
glory await thee! I've posted an updated version of the
submission guidelines, including a new list of article topic
requests.
Send for the guidelines via a blank email to:
submissionguidelines@roleplayingtips.com
iBill.com Maintenance
---------------------
My merchant services provider for the Tips Archive CD was
performing maintenance this past week that took two days
longer than expected. If you tried to order the CD but
received a "page busy" error, please try again. Check out
the Shameless Self Promotion section below for an exciting
announcement about the CD as well.
Have a game-full week!
Johnn Four
johnn@roleplayingtips.com
_______________________________________________________
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** NEW ARRIVALS FROM www.TheHeroFactory.com **
This week's arrivals include MERP, Kara-Tur, Talisman,
and Battletech! As always, free stuff for Roleplaying Tips
subscribers! We have some exciting changes on the way
soon, so keep your eye on The Hero Factory, fast becoming
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www.TheHeroFactory.com
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IRONY IS A GREAT GM TOOL - 9 TIPS
By Johnn Four
Dictionary.com defines irony as "the use of words to express
something different from and often opposite to their literal
meaning." The effect of irony is to deepen story conflict,
heighten tension, add a bitter emotional tang, or produce
great humour. For these reasons, irony is a wonderful story
technique.
In English class I was instructed that dramatic irony was a
tool used by Shakespeare and other playwrights to enhance
the entertainment or drama of their plays. Dramatic irony
occurred when the audience knew something that the characters
on stage didn't.
For example, the audience knows that a character's employer
is eavesdropping while the character complains about his job
to a friend and consequently puts his foot in his mouth.
In roleplaying, the opportunities for using irony are even
richer because there is more than just the audience-
character relationship involved. In RPGs, you actually have
three parties: players, characters, and game master; and the
permutations suddenly open up to make irony an amazing
storytelling tool.
1. GM-Player Irony
==================
GM-player irony occurs when the game master is aware of some
contradiction that the players do not see. For example, the
players are being hypocrites, are contradicting themselves,
or are not "walking their talk" while the GM looks on in
amusement.
GM-player irony also occurs when the GM uses meta-game
information to personalize an encounter for a player so that
it becomes comical, clever, or tragic.
Game masters should watch for and use these situations to
enhance the game. For example:
a) The players agree to stick together and watch each
other's back, but when combat erupts the party scatters
and each character proceeds to do their own thing.
Possible GM actions:
* Pause the game and make the players aware that they're not
following their own wisdom. Perhaps give them a redo, or let
them have a quick Out Of Character (OOC) discussion so they
can rally.
* Wait until the action ends, point out the irony in a
friendly way, and then have a good chuckle with the group.
* Integrate the irony of the situation into the on-going
narrative. "Ok, sensing that you are an organized,
efficient, and wise group, your foes appear to shake in
their boots with fear and then barely hide their mocking
snickers before they set about dividing and conquering your
party. Roll initiative."
* Use NPC actions to reveal (and mock) the PCs' actions.
Goblin #1: "Watch my back Gnasher!"
Goblin #2: "Ok Splitnose. Stick together!"
GM: "Ok, goblin's initiative. Gnasher runs east,
Splitnose run west!"
b) The heroes have recently done something un-heroic, or
have performed an amoral, alignment-breaking, or unethical
action.
Possible GM actions:
* Have NPCs demonstrate the same action in the hopes that
the players will feel shame or at least sense the irony.
"The instructions from the rogue you just 'interrogated'
were good and you find the hideout. Spying through the
keyhole, you spot a prisoner who is being brutally tortured
by a group of
thugs. Finally, the victim manages to meet the leader's eye
and spit out, "Ok, ok, I swear never to park my horse in
your stall again!"
* The GM uses her acting skills to mock the players or to
get the players to think about what they've just done. If
the players "shot first, asked questions later" and killed a
significant NPC, the GM could lay the NPC's character sheet
out on the table before the players, silently point to the
spot where it reads "Diplomacy Skill 95%", cast her eyes
down, and silently shake her head in mock tragedy.
c) The GM finds ways to victimize a player or players in the
same way repeatedly.
Possible GM actions:
* A player's previous character died at the hands of a wight
(a D&D undead creature). Fudging a wandering monster roll,
the GM attacks the player's new and wounded PC with another
wight.
* A pickpocket robbed the group's map last week. This week,
it'll be a hellhound's breath weapon and a resistance roll
of paper vs. fire for the map. Next week, it'll be a
beholder's disintegration ray. And the week after that,
it'll be a Trap >> Magic Curse >> Dyslexia.
This technique works best if the players believe you're
being fair or that it was their actions that resulted in the
irony. The idea is not to pick on a player so that they get
frustrated, but instead to look for opportunities to create
ironic situations or to slightly tweak situations to further
enhance encounters.
2. Player-Character Irony
=========================
In the theatric sense, the players are the audience and the
characters are the performers on the stage. Player-character
irony occurs when the players know something that their
characters do not and thus, the characters cannot act on
this knowledge. This is often called "metagaming", where
players try to use OOC information to benefit their PCs.
If you have a player who metagames, and asking them to stop
hasn't worked, try presenting the concept to them in terms
of player-character irony. Let them know that it's common
for players to have knowledge that their characters don't,
and that this is all part of the fun of roleplaying.
This might adjust their thinking and your refereeing from
"don't/can't do this" to "try to do this so you can enjoy
the irony." It could become a point of pride for competitive
players where they can claim with satisfaction, "hey, check
out the irony--my character doesn't know you just failed to
pick his pockets, so I'm gonna buy him a beer for being such
a great pal!"
As you might have guessed, roleplaying is at the heart of
player-character irony. Consequently, anything you can do to
enhance or promote this type of situation is encouraged.
* Reveal GM-only facts to the players to heighten drama. For
example, just as the battle with the big bad creature
begins, show the players the monster's hit points/health and
potential attack damage. The characters won't know this, but
it will certainly add a little tension to the combat.
* Reveal GM-only facts to the players for comedic effect.
For example, an NPC tries to bluff his way out of an
encounter with the PCs. You roll a critical failure. Rather
than tell the players how badly the NPC fails at his
attempt, you lift your GM screen to reveal the critical
failure dice roll. The players will hoot, holler, and laugh,
and then wait in delicious anticipation of your portrayal of
the bumbling NPC.
* Reveal GM-only facts to heighten the effects of a tragedy.
For example, the PCs battle a major foe only to collapse in
defeat. It turns out that the victorious foe only had one
hit point left, and you inform the players by revealing your
paperwork.
3. Player-GM Irony
==================
Player-GM irony occurs when the players know something that
you don't. Sometimes, this might feel threatening,
especially if you prefer to control all aspects of the game.
However, it's a wonderful situation you should take
advantage of when it happens because it makes the players
feel privileged and engaged in your story. For once, they
know something the GM doesn't, and the fun factor goes way
up.
* When the players do their group planning, step out of
earshot and have them come get you when they're done. This
means you won't know what they're planning, and as the game
unfolds, you'll be hard-pressed to find a player who isn't
grinning madly.
* When a player knows a rule and uses it against the GM,
it's ironic. Avoid getting upset or frustrated. You're human
and will make mistakes. Plus, you're busy running the game
the whole night so you don't have the luxury of quiet
periods or between-turn moments to scour the rules looking
for tricky exceptions or loopholes. In most cases, let the
player(s) have their victory (and allow yourself to
celebrate with them), add the rule to your knowledge base,
and move on.
* When you forget an important detail and the players
remember but don't fill you in, that's player-GM irony. For
example, you forget that a recurring NPC has a magic Ring of
Lie Detection and the PCs are getting away with murder.
Take advantage of this situation by adding more details to
your story that will make it more interesting and which will
account for the mis-remembered detail. Avoid thinking of
this as a huge mistake and avoid penalizing the players for
their duplicity. Instead, it's an opportunity to add an
unexpected twist to your adventure. Roll with the punches
(pun intended) and move on.
For example, perhaps the NPC mentioned above has had his
ring stolen but doesn't want to let anyone know, so he made
a duplicate to wear and has sent his agents out to track
down the thief--who happens to be a friend or acquaintance
of the PCs and who will appear in the next encounter and
request help against the thugs who are on his tail.
4. Rules Irony
==============
It can be useful to teach roll-players and rules lawyers
about irony. Often, if you can get closed-minded people to
laugh at themselves, half the battle is won.
Rules irony occurs when a player knows about a useful or
pertinent rule, but either her character or the GM does not.
For example, the player might know that fire is effective
against the troll her PC is fighting, but her character does
not. In this case, it might be useful for you to point out
the irony to the player before she can act. This might curb
the player's inclination to metagame and have her PC start
pulling out the torches and oil flasks. "Oh the irony!"
If a player employs a rule that the GM didn't know or forgot
about, then it's important to be a good sport and keep
focused on the job of having fun. Avoid making it a player
vs. GM issue (which many rules lawyers thrive on). Either
laugh at the irony as you would have your players do and
move on, or try to knead the situation so that the game
continues smoothly on and arguments are kept to a minimum.
Rules irony also occurs when a GM knows a rule that will
affect a PC, but the character's player does not. This
situation is to be encouraged and sought out when the rule
in question will end up creating a more entertaining
adventure or encounter. Do this by periodically re-reading
your game books and plan encounters around the likely-to-be-
forgotten or unknown rule.
Rules from the player's guide are especially effective as
the irony will be that much greater.
5. Hypocritical Irony
=====================
Hypocritical irony occurs when the GM, a player, or a
character commits a false act or claims to hold a belief
that he doesn't possess.
For example:
* A GM claims to encourage role-playing, but most encounters
can only be resolved through combat. Or, a self-professed
hack 'n 'slash GM creates puzzle or role-playing focused
scenarios.
* A player claims to enjoy the campaign and to be serious
about gaming, but he always shows up late and has a high
absentee rate.
* A PC acts and talks tough, but is the first to head to the
shadows when combat erupts.
Recognizing the irony in these situations is important. If
someone is committing a serious hypocrisy, then noting the
irony takes the edge off and lets you approach the problem
in a more indirect, non-confrontational way. "It's ironic
that you've missed the last three sessions without advance
notice Bob, because I think I recall you saying you were
serious about the campaign. Are you still serious about
playing?"
Another great technique is to make your NPCs hypocrites and
to create ironic situations with them involved. This either
lets you illustrate player or character hypocrisy so they
get the hint, or it simply serves as the basis of a
wonderful roleplaying situation with no innuendo intended.
Be on the look-out for when hypocritical irony happens. If
the situation is humorous or innocent, such as when the
character does something hypocritical but does not know it
(yet), then celebrate the irony and let the players in on
the joke so everyone can have a good laugh.
6. Dice Irony
=============
Dice irony occurs when the least favourable roll turns up at
the most inopportune time. Perhaps a character fumbles
during a called shot. Maybe a foe only has a 1% chance of
succeeding against a character and rolls it. Or maybe the
worst possible random effect is rolled, such as a character
growing twice in size while trying to hide.
Celebrate dice irony when it occurs. Give the player a
sympathetic pat on the back after a fumble roll, or do a
happy dance to mock the players when an NPC beats the odds.
7. Dramatic Irony Vs. Comedic Irony
===================================
Before you celebrate an ironic situation or tweak an
encounter to become ironic, first consider whether the
effect will end up being funny or tragic and then compare
that to the game atmosphere you're trying to create.
If you're running a serious game, seek to avoid comedic
irony. I think this is the second most important reason for
hiding important player dice rolls when a character is
performing a risky task. If the roll reveals an ironic
result, any atmosphere you've tried to create will evaporate
in the ensuing player uproar.
Alternately, if you're running a lighthearted game, avoid
irony that will cast a serious or tragic pall over the
table.
8. Irony From Contrast
======================
If you have difficulty spotting or creating irony, start by
looking for contrast. You can practice this in real life and
at the game table by first getting a big picture view of any
given situation, and then imagining its opposite.
For example, if the PCs are in the middle of a deadly
combat, the opposite would be peace and negotiation. How
could you morph the concepts of peace and discussion into a
planned combat encounter so that it becomes ironic?
* Appearances are deceiving. The nasty monster is actually
considered a scholar amongst his kin.
* The dragon is really peaceful, and it's actually the
princess in chains using mind control magic to make the
creature attack the PCs.
* An alien culture's gesture of peace and negotiation
involve throwing missile weapons at the feet of the other
party (thus, giving up their weapons as a gesture of peace,
but possibly appearing as an attack to foreigners).
Dictionary.com associates the words incongruity, contrast,
opposite, difference, twist, satire, and sarcasm with the
term irony. Keep these words and concepts in mind to help
you conjure up irony.
9. Create Irony By Finding Patterns
===================================
Another key skill in creating or finding irony in any given
situation is to spot a pattern and then look for the break
in that pattern. The break is where your irony lies, and if
a break isn't ironic, then that's what you'd change so the
situation becomes ironic.
For example, let's say you start almost all your adventures
in the tavern. The PCs hear gossip that leads them into
trouble, strangers approach with help requests, or conflicts
arise amongst the regulars that the PCs can help with. And
let's say, for an upcoming adventure, the PCs need to find a
map to get them started out.
The pattern is that adventures normally start in the tavern,
so the break in the pattern would be to start the new
adventure elsewhere. To make the break ironic, you could
mislead the PCs to look outside the tavern for their next
adventure, while the adventure seed turns out to be in the
tavern the whole time.
In game terms, this could be done by a dying messenger
throwing himself on the PCs as they're on their way to the
tavern and uttering the final words, "give this scroll to
the mage Ereamon." The mage is waiting at the tavern for the
messenger, but hopefully the Mage's Guild seal on the scroll
will cause the PCs to look elsewhere first.
* * *
Conflict fuels the stories in movies and books, and they
should fuel your adventures as well. Irony is a great way to
create conflict at many levels at your game table in such a
way as to avoid hurt feelings and arguments that other kinds
of conflict can create.
Unlike books and movies, RPGs offer many different and
unique permutations of irony between players, characters,
and GM. Be on the lookout for irony and wield it as a GMing
tool whenever possible.
_______________________________________________________
*******************************************************
SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION
ROLEPLAYING TIPS ARCHIVES CD - Now International!
-------------------------------------------------
International and North American subscribers can now
purchase the CD through PayPal! Get the first 150 issues of
tips, sorted and organized into topics for fast GMing help
and ideas, on CD. Get all 1600 tips in a handy off-line
reference, plus more goodies like GM articles and all the
Supplemental Issues are included as well!
For screenshots and ordering info:
http://www.roleplayingtips.com/tipscd/
A tips subscriber recently sent me this kind note:
"When you advertised the CDRom in the recent issue, I had
to check it out. And you had me at "Buy It Now!" I was
planning on just downloading the free archives, but then
after consideration, I decided that YOUR work was worth
paying for, especially considering the sort-ability and
all the extras.
Thank you for all the effort of creating this disc and
your Tips.
Robert FV robtfv@yahoo.com"
Got any questions about the CD? Email me directly at:
johnn@roleplayingtips.com
_______________________________________________________
*******************************************************
READERS' TIPS OF THE WEEK
1. NPC Trick - Use Work For Personality Stereotypes
From: Andy T.
===================================================
I have always had trouble with NPCs.
I never used to enjoy playing them, and coming up with
different but memorable NPC personalities on the fly made
them turn out to be stereotyped. I just couldn't think of
enough different characteristics on the fly.
Then I hit upon the idea of using your work or college
environment as a resource for personality stereotypes. It's
a nasty little piece of character assassination I like to
call "Stereotyping your friends and enemies."
After a couple of minutes reflection you will soon realise
that you can easily exaggerate, twist, and turn the most
memorable characteristics of your work colleagues or college
friends/lecturers into stereotypical characters perfect for
the genre of your choice.
For example, I work in an office divided into four teams,
each with a supervisor, plus manager, plus marketing team,
plus Uber-boss. (Evil Fat Cat director. Fans of Dilbert see:
Catbert.)
So the manager in his office far-far away becomes the hermit
in a cave, Guardian of the Important Bits of Paper and
mystical Stamp of Authority, which become magic scrolls or
some sort of magical artifact in your game world.
The supervisor and her deputy from down the end of the
office become the Vain & Isolated Queen of the South with
Whitestaff, her loyal and dedicated Druid, valiantly trying
to keep the country in order, effectively ruling in her
distracted absence.
Your mates from two desks over become the Feisty Red-Headed
Warrior Woman of the Jungles of Wherever and the Quiet
Brooding One always watching over her, always tagging along.
The slightly odd little man that no-one talks to becomes The
Comedy-Side-Kick Odd Little Man for those light relief
moments. If YOU are the slightly odd little man that nobody
talks to, go see a movie, or better yet, write one.
The marketing team become a cabal of slimy cabalists in
designer suits. Acting in secret, concocting lots of
fiendish little plans to earn themselves favour with the
Uber Boss at the cost of making your heroes' lives that
little bit more difficult.
The Uber-Boss (Managing Director with the Fat-Cat salary)
can easily become the Evil, Soul Sucking Vampire, draining
the life force out of everybody he controls and casting the
broken and exhausted aside in his never-ending quest for
more power and wealth.
Pretty soon you will realise that you can plunder the whole
building for ideas and model the political structure of an
entire game world on the microcosm of relationships you find
in A Typical Office Building.
For those of you that have seen "The Office" on TV in the
UK, you will know exactly what I mean.
2. Use Index Cards To Speed Up Combat
From: Palmer Of The Turks
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gmmastery/
=================================================
If you can (and wish to) get organized well enough, index
cards are simply godly tools.
Make up one card per PC for the DM, listing AC, BAB, HP,
initiative, damage, stats, spells, wands, and other basic
sundries good in combat.
Each magic item should have its own card--2 actually. The
player version names the item, gives a physical description,
and lists all known qualities/abilities of the item (as they
find them out). The DM copy has the same, but has everything
listed. Mark them both with a ref number in the corner so
you can match PC copy to DM copy.
Most monster stat blocks can be compressed to an index card
as well and they're great for keeping major NPCs in order.
For NPCs, you may need two: one combat card, one social card
(listing personality, who they are, what they have to do
with the plot or PCs).
Make a bunch of chits (1 set per player, plus 1 or 2 for the
DM) numbered 1 to (the highest initiative mod + 22) that
players stick in front of themselves after rolling
initiative so you can easily just glance around and see who
goes when. Similar chits can be used to track spell use...
PCs get 1 chit per spell they can cast labelled with the
appropriate level.
For example, in D&D terms, the generic Lvl 4 Cha 18 Sorcerer
gets 6 Lvl 0 chits, 7 Lvl 1 chits, and 4 Lvl 2 chits. As
they cast spells, they toss them into a used chit container.
Memorization-type casters simply write the name of the
spells they're memorizing on chits and toss in as
appropriate. They naturally have already prepared 1 card per
spell that they know with the full writeup on it.
For spells with descriptions too long to write comfortably
on an index card, you can just write the School, Level,
Components, Casting Time, Range, Target, Duration, Save, and
Spell Resistance, maybe a brief summary, and then "See PHB p
123" or whatever. When you actually need it, you know the
exact page and don't waste time fumbling and searching.
The same sort of thing can be applied to feats and other
class powers like Monk attacks and Barbarian Rages.
[Comment from Johnn: for other super-organized GMs out there
like Palmer, have any of you tried getting each player one
of those small dry-erase boards? Each player gets a
different pen colour and brush, and can record their hit
points, initiative, spells available, spells cast (and
remaining durations), marching order, etc., on the boards.
I haven't done this, but have wondered about it. Any success
stories out there?]
3. Increasing Player Fun - Quotes Tip
From: Samir
=====================================
Assign a player as the quote keeper. As your group becomes
comfortable with each other they will make memorable
comments that are either on purpose or by accident. Keeping
track of these quotes adds to the enjoyment of the game.
http://www.witte-family.net/gaming/quotes.htm
4. Anime Great For Character Names
From: Jim B.
==================================
Johnn,
Great stuff! I always look forward to your articles and can
always find some tidbit in each newsletter that I can use
right away in my games.
Sometimes my players have difficulty coming up with names
that aren't cliche and a source for names occurred to me
while watching anime. I mean no disrespect to the people or
their families, but in the end credits there are hundreds of
names. Select one and simply remove the last vowel, and
viola, new fantasy name.
For example: Hiroshi becomes Hirosh and can be pronounced a
number of ways. Some times this method will lead to the
evolution of a name. i.e. Hentachi to Hentach to Hen-ttak
the Half-Orc.
5. ITL - It's Too Late
From: Christian T.
======================
One rule I like to play with that I jointly invented with
one my players is the ITL rule: It's Too Late.
If someone forgets a rule, whether it be the DM (Hey! Black
dragons have spell like abilities!) or the players (Hey, my
boots of elvenkind give me +10! I made that last check after
all!), and if the game has already proceeded, one or more of
us will shrug and quote: "You forgot? Tough! ITL!"
It definitely speeds up game time and makes us more
interested in remembering important things.
6. Dungeon Time Limit Ideas
From: Michael Ullom, MichaelUllom@aol.com
============================================
re: http://www.roleplayingtips.com/issue156.html#3
Other time limit possibilities for your dungeons:
1) War-Torn
The dungeon is an area where the PCs have a limited period
of time to get the treasure out, and every delay increases
their chances of running into an army.
2) Recently Unearthed
The dungeon has been discovered only a few days ago and will
likely be crawling with adventurers. Compete or cooperate
with other adventurers in getting the goods. And most
importantly, hurry before some bigger group comes along!
3) Temporary Demand
If there's a crazy merchant clamoring for platinum, it's
only a matter of time before some other merchant comes in
town with the goods, or devalues whatever's inside the
dungeon now. One group raided a wizard's tower to get
healing potions before a battle...
4) Multiple Forces
Recently, my group bagged a white dragon and his evil ogre
henchmen outside the cave. Imagine our shock when we
discovered his treasure lay in the hands of rapidly
evacuating ogres and the dragon's pet ogre King after using
up our best abilities on the initial encounter. A good way
to remind people that 'lesser monsters' can be dangerous.
5) Dubious Legality
If the dungeon is on somebody's borders, it may only be a
matter of time before the owner discovers this and the
dungeon and everything in it become his property.
6) Fairy Hill/ Rip Van Winkle
For every minute or hour spent in the dungeon, a different
amount of time passes outside. Rest in there too long and
come out a year or more later.
7) Weather/Magic Related Time Limit
If the storm of the century's coming in three days, the PCs
might want to be long gone before then. Likewise, the
dungeon might have a puzzle only solvable during a solar
eclipse or stellar constellation...
8) Minor Events
* Gambling debts called in
* The pawnshop only holding the magic sword for another week
* Yearly taxes coming up
_______________________________________________________
*******************************************************
TIPS REQUEST: Campaign Newsletter Links
Do you have a campaign newsletter posted on-line? I
regularly receive requests for more examples of campaign
newsletters--the topic of Issue #7.
[ http://www.roleplayingtips.com/issue7.html ]
Please send me the URL of your online newsletter and I'll
post it in an upcoming Supplemental Issue to help out the
GMs who are trying to build a newsletter but need some
examples for inspiration.
Roleplaying Tips Weekly E-Zine Issue #159
6/666 Tips For GMing An Evil Group
_______________________________________________________
*******************************************************
SENT BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY With Compliments
From: Johnn Four, http://www.roleplayingtips.com
johnn@roleplayingtips.com
CONTENTS:
--> A Brief Word From Johnn
--> This Week's Tips Summarized:
1. Character Background
2. Character Goals
3. Evil Need Not Be Graphic
4. A Watched Back Is Harder To Stab
5. Keep 'Em Hungry
6. Actions And Their Consequences
--> Readers' Tips Of The Week:
1. Dungeon Twists
2. The Earth At Night - Modern RPG Resource
3. Campaign Newsletter Advice
4. Use Video Games For NPC Names
5. The One-Two Punch
6. Idea For Bringing A PC Group Together
--> Tips Request: Let's Build A Reading Reference
Library
_______________________________________________________
*******************************************************
A BRIEF WORD FROM JOHNN
Campaign Newsletters
--------------------
Here are the links that were sent in regarding the request
for online campaign newsletters. There's not enough to
warrant a Supplemental Issue, so I'm happy to post 'em here.
If you're thinking of writing a newsletter for your game,
check out these pages:
http://www.andyes.com/~tony/
http://home.planet.nl/~jvdriel/
http://www.mythosa.net/Articles.html
http://www.stanford.edu/~frimicc/DnD/index.html
http://scentedhelm.hexgrid.com/
http://www.roleplayingtips.com/issue7.html
http://www.roleplayingtips.com/newsexamples.html
Pen & Paper Awards
------------------
If you have the time and inclination, perhaps you can drop
by the Pen & Paper web site and stuff the ballot box for me?
There's a category called "Best Magazine or Webzine", and if
you care to, cast your vote for "Roleplaying Tips Weekly, a
great hangover cure on Monday mornings and slacking tool in
general."
http://pen-paper.net/awards.php
Have a game-full week!
Johnn Four
johnn@roleplayingtips.com
_______________________________________________________
*******************************************************
6/666 TIPS FOR GMing AN EVIL GROUP
A Guest Article By Mark L. Chance
http://www.anubium.com/
I have some experience GMing for an evil group. I ran a
high-level 2nd edition AD&D game for evil warlord characters
a few years ago. I've also run a handful of super-villain-
oriented games in systems such as DC Heroes and Marvel Super
Heroes. When I saw the request for 666 Tips For GMing An
Evil Group, I thought it'd be fun to think back on those
campaigns to see what sorts of things they had in common.
And so, here are a few of the requested tips. Six down; six-
hundred-sixty to go!
1. Character Background
=======================
Before launching a campaign designed for an evil group of
PCs, insist on receiving a written character background from
each player. This background need not be overly detailed,
but it should include basics such as a brief description of
childhood or adolescence, how the character chose the life
he or she lives, mention of any friends or enemies made, and
some sort of past evil activity.
Each character's background is grist for the idea mill. You,
the GM, should pick apart each background for possible
future plot complications. Remember, there is no need to
treat a character's background as canon. You have every
right to modify (with or without the player's knowledge)
or even reject elements of a background. No one remembers
all details of their past, or even has full knowledge of all
that has transpired around them.
For example, suppose a character's background says that the
character worked as an assassin for a time before having to
flee the kingdom after murdering the heir-apparent for an
evil uncle. Is the heir-apparent really dead, or did the
character assassinate an impersonator? Other than the evil
uncle, who knows of the character's involvement? How
comfortable is the evil uncle with the idea that his
nephew's murderer is still at large? Various answers to all
of these questions yield ideas for future campaign events.
2. Character Goals
==================
Character goals are a good thing for any sort of campaign,
but are most important for GMing an evil group. An evil
character with no goals is not much good. Every character
should have two or three short-term goals and one or two
long-term goals. Like backgrounds, you should have these
goals in hand in order to shape the direction of the
campaign. Basically, these goals form the backbone of an
evil campaign. With goals in hand, you can flesh out
scenarios that put the players in a proactive stance.
For example, one evil character's short term goals include
forming a new gang, carving out a section of inner city
turf, and entering a partnership with the city's primary crime
family. The character's long term goal is to garner enough
money, influence, and power to eventually take the city's
primary crime family out of the picture entirely, thus
emerging as the new reigning force in organized crime.
There is a caveat. As with background, you have the right to
modify or even reject goals that are not workable. Designing
a campaign around character goals requires more work at the
front end of events than the typical here-is-your-mission-
du-jour style of campaign. Consider the example above.
Before the character could recruit gang members, you would
need to have an idea about what sorts of prospects there are
in the area.
3. Evil Need Not Be Graphic
===========================
The imagination is more than capable of filling in the gory
details. In book and film, a minimalist approach to graphic
subject matter is almost always more effective than
depicting all the gruesome details. This is a point that is
often missed in narrative and cinema today, but was the rule
of thumb just a few decades ago.
For example, compare the recent motion picture The Ring with
Jason X. Both movies will end up in the same section at
Blockbuster because they're both supposedly of the same
genre. Which of the two movies is actually suspenseful if
not frightening? Certainly not Jason X, which goes out of
its way to be both shocking and cartoonish, and fails at
both. The Ring, on the other hand, includes little in the
way of graphic violence or gory images, and yet I heard
grown men shriek in the theater during some of the scenes.
Why? Because The Ring does not push the horror in the
viewers' faces, but rather leads them circuitously toward
the fear and then only flashes the images for an instant.
The Ring shocks the senses and seduces the imagination by
leaving out most of the violence and only, ever so briefly,
showing the consequences. Jason X attempts to shock
sensibilities and leaves nothing to the imagination.
Despite what many auteurs claim, there are boundaries of
good taste, even if opinions about where exactly those
boundaries are vary from person to person. The purpose of a
game is to entertain, not offend. Do not feel obligated to
include material or explore subject matter that you find
offensive. Do not force material or subject matter that one
or more of your players may find offensive. If you do not
know your players well, survey them before starting the evil
campaign in order to determine what sorts of topics are
taboo for your players.
By way of personal experience, in one super-villain campaign
I was running via email, I had a prospective player approach
me with his idea for a dyed-in-the-wool Nazi, a former death camp
guard turned white supremacist icon. I vetoed the entire
concept, and not only because of the Jewish player in the
group. I explained my objections to the character concept,
and the player understood and submitted a different concept.
4. A Watched Back Is Harder To Stab
===================================
If all of the characters are evil, the characters have good
reason not to trust each other. Encourage the players to
take a page from U.S. nuclear policy and get M.A.D.
Mutually assured destruction emphasizes the precarious
nature of doing business with evil people but also provides
a rationale that keeps any one character from unilaterally
deciding to eliminate allies in order to increase his or her
share of the pie. If cucumber-cool hitman Icepick Ike knows
that three of his partners-in-crime will whack him gangland
style for not keeping it professional, Ike is much less
likely to try to stab any of his cohorts in the back
(figuratively or otherwise).
Another technique that can keep a campaign from self-
destructing (thus ruining all of your hard work turning
backgrounds and goals into scenarios) is to have the evil
characters in the service of an even more evil boss. Care
must be taken with this approach, however. The focus of the
campaign should be the characters, not a GM character.
5. Keep 'Em Hungry
==================
Evil is rooted in vice, and vice is never sated. A
particular vice over-indulged leads to a person becoming
jaded, but there is always another level of viciousness to
sink to. The epitome of modern evil, the serial killer,
provides the perfect example. A monster such as John Wayne
Gacy does not - cannot - stop of his own accord. He is too
passionate about killing, and that passion rules his life.
During the course of an evil-oriented campaign, goals need
to be reassessed and redefined. There is always one more
step to be taken, one more conquest, one last act to be
performed. In a way, this means that an evil character never
really achieves his or her goals. Even when a goal is
attained, it is not enough. It is also entirely appropriate
to send the characters in an out-of-control spiral of crime
after crime in order to keep a hold on any goals reached. As
Shakespeare's Richard III noted, "But I am so far in blood
that sin will pluck on sin."
6. Actions And Their Consequences
=================================
Inevitably, it seems, all groups of evil character must
eventually face failure, imprisonment, and/or death. This is
because actions have consequences, and the consequences for
evil actions tend to be of the permanent sort.
An evil group is also outnumbered, progressively worse as
the campaign progresses. With every crime committed, the
evil group's list of enemies grows larger. Not only are the
White Hats gunning for the characters, but their Black Hat
competitors are also a constant source of unease.
Keep a record of all NPCs the evil characters cross in any
way throughout a campaign. Categorize these NPCs by levels
of power and influence. Figure out what sort of payback
would best satisfy each NPC. Then, a few enemies at a time,
have the past come back to haunt the group. If the
characters go too far too fast, and they find themselves
overwhelmed by revenge-seekers, so be it. Sooner or later,
the piper must be paid.
* * *
[Comment from Johnn: Check out Mark's module, if you get a
chance. Here's the scoop:
Wine with the nobility, swordplay with ruffians, and defend
yourself against the deadly Tanul vegetation as you uncover
a plot to depose the Prince of Sahr. Will your courage be
enough to face the Prince's unlikely enemy? Do you have the
wits to fend off attacks to your honor? And why is it you
never seem to have anything to wear to those snooty
masquerade balls anyway! It's not like you're hurting for
gold....
Office & Affairs of Love, based on Shakespeare's Much Ado
About Nothing, emphasizes roleplaying and includes features
such as a new undead template, sidebars offering commentary
on desert travel, a possible romantic sub-plot,
Shakespearean asides, and an appendix of random encounter
tables for GMs who like such things. Have you bought your
copy of The Office & Affairs of Love? If not, go to:
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=533& ]
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SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION
The Amazing, Stupendous, Roleplaying Tips Archives CD
-----------------------------------------------------
Buy my tips CD. :) PayPal has been hooked up, so
International orders are now welcome, and proceeds go to
ezine and web site hosting. The Tips CD holds a stupendous
1648 tips:
* Sorted into 15 categories
* Sorted into 105 Topics
* Sorted by 9 Types
* Sorted by Author
* In PDF format
* In print-friendly format
* In original, plain text flavour
* Sorted by Issue #
Find the advice you need fast!
http://www.roleplayingtips.com/tipscd/
"When you advertised the CDRom in the recent issue, I had
to check it out. And you had me at "Buy It Now!" I was
planning on just downloading the free archives, but then
after consideration, I decided that YOUR work was worth
paying for, especially considering the sort-ability and
all the extras.
Thank you for all the effort of creating this disc and
your Tips.
Robert FV robtfv@yahoo.com"
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READERS' TIPS OF THE WEEK
1. Dungeon Twists
From: Tips Readers
=====================
re: http://www.roleplayingtips.com/issue157.html#r6
In issue #157 I asked for some dungeon twist ideas and here
are the ones I've received to date. Enjoy!
* This one had my players confused and hunting every inch of
a room. In your usual, dank dungeon, they found one room
that was nicely decorated, warm, and very livable. Who says
every hermit likes living in the cold and dank?
* Another neat thing the PCs found once was a stone column
in the middle of a wet, damp part of the cave. And they
were subsequently bright enough to try to knock out one of
the rocks that just happened to look like a big chunk of
silver. Got a nasty surprise when this column was actually a
well somewhere up in the castle and had a sudden flood on
their hands to deal with.
* Extremely detailed stone statues. I had a party freaking
out about a beautifully detailed piece of painted stone work
for about 30 minutes.
* Try adding something impossible (physically speaking) like
a beast that is too big to have used the door in a room
large enough to allow it ample fighting room. Or a hint at
which way to go that actually takes you the long way around
when you could have gone straight through
Thanks to Brymear, Incubus, Sethor, and The Viper for these
great twists.
Got any more dungeon twist ideas?
2. The Earth At Night - Modern RPG Resource
From: Mark M.
===========================================
A shot from high above - the world is truly spectacular at
night.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0011/earthlights_dmsp_big.jpg
Note:
* Look at North Korea vs. South Korea.
* Notice India's amazing saturation of population sites.
* Check out the one tiny light in the middle of the Sahara.
* Hawaii seems awfully bright - could the more northern
islands glow be caused by volcanos? What about the spots
to the east of Madagascar?
* Be sure to play "Let's Spot The Capital" in Spain and
France.
* Check out the railway through northern Russia, running
east-west.
3. Campaign Newsletter Advice
From: Michael F.
=============================
My campaign is, unfortunately, no longer active. While it
ran though, I wrote up everything that happened and put it
on the web. The campaign ran for 5 years, so there's a lot
of story...
If you are interested, take a look at
http://www.stanford.edu/~frimicc/DnD/index.html and click on
"Story" in the left-hand frame.
If you read my entries, you can see that they get better as
time goes on. I didn't really know how I wanted to write up
the characters' story to start with, so I developed my style
as I went along.
My tip is: just start. Even if you don't really know what
you want to do, you'll figure it out after a few episodes
and get better at writing the campaign newsletter as time
goes on. Practice makes perfect!
4. Use Video Games For NPC Names
From: Phil W.
================================
Finding good NPC names on the fly can be rather slow on game
play, and having created a number of NPCs on the spot, I'd
know.
Anywho, I don't know if this has been mentioned, but if any
of you have played Baldur's Gate, or a similar game, you
cross quite a number of NPCs. What I did was look through
the journal section and copied out all the NPC names of
insignificant characters so that the players wouldn't
recognize them and think I took them from the game.
I wrote up a list of them and whenever I come across a
nameless NPC I consult the list, pick one, and scratch it
off.
Here's my list of Baldur's Gate NPCs:
Euric, Ghorak, Agnasia, Arkion, Nemphere, Ordulinian,
Noralee, Kesheel, Kerrachus, Entillis, G'axir, Shaella,
Elkart, Reginald, Firebead, Phlydia, Dreppin, Nessa, Hull,
Reevor, Caola, Tiax, Ramazith, Kereph, Theodon, Jessup,
Bendalis, Shistal, Brunos Rieltar, Kestor, Tuth, Piato,
Tethtoril, Fuller, Marl, Kennair, Nethalin, Mirianne, Roe,
Landrin, Bentley, Perdue, Oublek, Emmerson, Jessa, Gurke,
Endor, Petric, Dun, Tremain, Fergus, Dra'tan, Thaldorn,
Karan, Shistal, Ulraunt
5. The One-Two Punch
From: Mr. Sharon F.
======================
Everyone has their own pace of doing things. The world,
however, is always changing regardless of the mood of the
players and situation of the PCs. So, for example, instead
of giving the players a moment's rest after killing the
beast, give them a surprise visit from a higher being whose
plans were foiled by the gang.
When it's raining and the battle looks grim, have the smart
NPC throw some metal wire over the castle wall and
electrocute the field of raging charmed men.
Every day in the real world I am surprised by many things
and it keeps life interesting and forces me to grow as a
person. I try to relay this sense of bewilderment, in proper
measure, to my campaigns.
Other examples:
1) Johnny Walker USA is walking down the street. His
character needs to make a contact with Vennom, a villain-
type who can extract info about the funds Johnny's abducted
wife holds in the united bank of I.B.M. Vennom turns out to
be an autistic child with split personalities, some good,
some bad. Now the warrior PC has to play babysitter or use
his wits to find someone who can access the child's talents,
and guess what--he is not the only one that could use the
child.
2) Helen of Troy is a babe. We know it, she knows it. What
you don't know is she has a twin connected to her by birth,
so that when he dies, she dies. A seer sends the players to
kill the guy so that the city of Troy lives.
Now, what the seer himself does not know is that the brother
is a seer too and he hired a mage to kill and revive him so
the spell is broken. The gods are miffed that some little
man is meddling with their plans so they send their own
envoy to put some sense into him.
All those characters meet on their way to the twin brother's
house. The fun starts when Helen, remember her, turns into
an undead monster after all the twists in her lifetime,
causing Troy to burn...
3) Miral the archer has received a wicked Christmas gift--a
Remington 700 338 Lafua sniper rifle. Is she a time traveler
or just very good with a drawing board? The league of
extraordinary mercenaries (the PCs) are given their weight
in gold and twice that amount upon their return if they come
back with the "way of the gun".
On the way to the woods of Cosh-Maw, where the famous "boom
stick" lives, Miral joins the gang for her amusement. She's
an immortal with too much time on her eight shiftshaping
hands, and her father, Nick the Greek Thunderbolt, is miffed
by such low conduct. He switches bodies and powers around in
an attempt to rein Miral in.
4) Twist a legend, like the Sword In The Stone, but only
half-way. Yup, Arthur is a drunk and Merlin is a woman in
drag who does noble weddings to get the next dose of
Melange. However, Liuk, age fourteen, has found the sword
when digging a hole for a new steam bath for dad. The realms
of Magic and industry collide in The Saga of Liuk the
Destroyer. Even good swords go bad...
5) "Make it cash and make it now". The healer holds the gaze
of the stoic hero. "And am I going to be here all night,
cause that's extra."
The players in a hero type campaign are used to a certain
frame of thought. Give it a wink now and then to resemble
the richer tapestry of life. We all have good days and bad
days. How about a bad decade. Ending tomorrow.
6) "Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth
and taste." So said the Rolling Stones. Do your players
think they got game? Have them think again when confronted
with Mr. Smooth Operator, Jin the writer/director of his own
story, a man who pulls his own strings. But does he? Is he
the king of his castle, lord of the manner? Great characters
have chinks in their armor from time to time and it is
unexpected for them to draw from different worlds: religion
in a sci-fi game, low self esteem in a hero game, and so
forth.
6. Idea For Bringing A PC Group Together
From: Max
========================================
Dear Johnn,
Your newsletters are always a superb aid to my life of
tabletop roleplaying and see your one on bringing characters
together has inspired me to tell you about a system I use to
bring together a crew of 5 ordinary people (in my espionage
styled d20 modern game).
It's fairly simple. Have you ever heard of the "7 Steps To
Kevin Bacon?"
Essentially, it is based upon character knowing
people...but I'll explain who the party is so it will work.
* Craig, a 15 year old high school dropout hacker.
* Diedrich, an illegal arms salesman.
* Leonard, a car salesman who is forced to live in
his father's shadow.
* Lance, former military officer and now a Washington Post
photographer and an excellent wheel man.
* Fraunze, a German investigator.
Now, here is the trick. You link one character to another
character through NPCs so that all the PCs come into contact
with each other, get to know each other, and share the story
together.
* Craig's dad, a druggie, bought some drugs off a man that
Diedrich turned in.
* One of Diedrich's friends bought a car from Leonard.
* And Leonard sold a car to Lance who was, at one time,
stationed in Germany and helped in an investigation with
Fraunze.
[Comment from Johnn: for more details, check out this link:
http://pub36.ezboard.com/fpsouniversefrm45.showMessage?topicID=27.topi
c ]
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TIPS REQUEST: Let's Build A Reading Reference Library
From: Neil Faulkner
I noticed that a recent issue included a few suggested
titles for (factual) background reading. I was going to
simply offer a couple of my own favourites*, but it occurs
to me that it might be an idea to collate a whole parcel of
recommended titles from your subscribers and present them
all in a batch. It also occurs to me that since you are by
your own admission rather busy at the moment, maybe someone
else ought to bravely step forward and take on the task.
Which really means me, I suppose. Anyway, I'm volunteering.
If you like the idea, maybe you could mention it in your
next issue, inviting Tips readers to send their suggestions
with the following information:
1) Title and author (obviously)
2) Publisher and date of publication (if known),
availability (if known)
3) Brief description of contents.
4) Relevance/usefulness to RPGs
* The titles I was going to suggest are:
Jean Gimpel, "The Medieval Machine", a thorough review of
the state of medieval technology and where it might have
gone had the Church not put its foot down (mobile wind-
propelled castles were on the drawing board!).
Robert Lacey and Danny Danziger, "The Year 1000", a month-
by-month account of daily life in late Anglo-Saxon England.
Jean Jules Jusserand, "English Wayfaring Life in the 14th
Century". Utterly enthralling, though I doubt it's currently
available (my copy is a 3rd edition from 1929, the 1st
edition came out in 1889!)
Terry Jones, "Chaucer's Knight: Portrait of a Medieval
Mercenary", full of inspiring information about late
medieval politics and society.
[Comment from Johnn: send in your background reading info to
me at johnn@roleplayingtips.com and I'll forward it to Neil
who'll put together a handy GMing resource for us. Thanks!]
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That's it for this week's issue.
Have more fun at every game!
Johnn Four
mailto:johnn@roleplayingtips.com
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